IllustrationWIPERS AND FLUID WORK INTERMITTENTLY. HAVE BEEN TO DEALER AND FOUND NOTHING WRONG. IT'S OBVIOUS WHEN IT RAINS AND WOULD CONSIDER IT A SAFETY HAZARD. PLEASE HELP!
1997 Ford Taurus
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
More warning signs than most Taurus years
Owner complaints for the 1997 Ford Taurus are substantially higher than the model-year median of 318.
About this comparison →How this year compares
Owner complaints by model year
Compare all Taurus years →Counts vary with age, sales and reporting. They are not failure rates.
What owners reported most
All reported categories
Tap a category to read its complaints. One report may name several components.
When problems were reported
Mileage at the reported incident
Limited mileage data: 136 of 770 reports include usable mileage. There isn’t enough coverage to show a useful chart.
NHTSA’s mileage field refers to the reported incident, not necessarily the filing date. This shows report counts, not the likelihood of a failure.
What to inspect
Issues worth paying extra attention to based on owner reports.
- Power Train. Review the 214 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Engine And Engine Cooling. Review the 145 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Service Brakes, Hydraulic. Review the 67 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
64 crash reports12 fire reports41 injury reports
Visibility complaints
57 reportsWINDSHIELD WIPERS FAIL WHEN THEY ARE SET ON LOW SPEED OR INTERMITTENT SPEED, CAUSING LOSS OF VISIBILITY. *AK
A PUNGENT ODOR IS COMING FROM THE VENTILATION SYSTEM SIMILAR TO A URINE SMELL. THIS ODOR EXISTS ANYTIME THE VENTILATION SYSTEM IS TURNED ON REGARDLESS OF WHETHER IT IS THE AIR CONDITIONING SYSTEM OR HEATER. IN CONTACTING THE DEALER I WAS TOLD THERE IS A PROBLEM WITH MOLD AND MILDEW BUILD-UP IN THE VENTILATION BOXES OF THE LATE…
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A PUNGENT ODOR IS COMING FROM THE VENTILATION SYSTEM SIMILAR TO A URINE SMELL. THIS ODOR EXISTS ANYTIME THE VENTILATION SYSTEM IS TURNED ON REGARDLESS OF WHETHER IT IS THE AIR CONDITIONING SYSTEM OR HEATER. IN CONTACTING THE DEALER I WAS TOLD THERE IS A PROBLEM WITH MOLD AND MILDEW BUILD-UP IN THE VENTILATION BOXES OF THE LATE MODEL TAURUS'S. THE DEALER INDICATED THERE IS A TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN PUBLISHED ON THIS ISSUE BUT THEY WON'T PERFROM THE WORK BECAUSE OF THE HEALTH RISK TO SERVICE TECHNICIANS USING THE REQUIRED CLEANING SOLVENT. NO ONLY IS THIS AN IRRITATING PROBLEM, I AM CONCERNED ABOUT THE HEALTH RISK TO MYSELF AND MY FAMILY FROM MOLD AND MILDEW SPORES OR ANY OTHER BIOLOGICAL HEALTH HAZARDS CREATED BY THIS PROBLEM. PLEASE ADVISE. THANKS. *AK
THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS ARE MULTI-SPEED, BUT THEY ONLY RUN ON SLOW. YOU HAVE TO TURN THEM OFF AND ON SEVERAL TMES TO GET THEM TO WORK RIGHT.THE IGNITION SWITCH WAS REPLACED BECAUSE WHEN YOU TOOK THE KEY OUT THE ACCESSORIES CONTINUED TO RUN LIKE THE RADIO WOULD KEEP ON PLAYING WITH NO KEY IN THE CAR .THEY CHANGED THE IGNITION SWITC…
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THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS ARE MULTI-SPEED, BUT THEY ONLY RUN ON SLOW. YOU HAVE TO TURN THEM OFF AND ON SEVERAL TMES TO GET THEM TO WORK RIGHT.THE IGNITION SWITCH WAS REPLACED BECAUSE WHEN YOU TOOK THE KEY OUT THE ACCESSORIES CONTINUED TO RUN LIKE THE RADIO WOULD KEEP ON PLAYING WITH NO KEY IN THE CAR .THEY CHANGED THE IGNITION SWITCH AND IT HELPED FOR A FEW THOUSAND MILES BUT NOW THE CAR IS OUT OF WARRANTY AND THE PROBLEM IS BACK AGAIN.ALSO I AM HAVING PROBLEMS WITH THE POWER WINDOWS. *AK
NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR THIS VEHICLE. *AK
DEFROST VENT DEFORMED.
THE CAR HAD BEEN PRE-INSPECTED FOR LEASE-TURN-IN IN JAN 1999, AND THEN REMAINED PARKED UNTIL FEB 8, 1999. AT THE TIME OF THE INSPECTION THERE WAS NO VISIBLE DAMAGE TO THE WINDSHIELD. ON FEB 8, 1999, THERE WAS A LARGE CRACK IN THE WINDSHIELD, ORIGINATING FROM THE TOP CENTER OF THE WINDSHIELD, DOWN 4 INCHES AND TRAILING OFF 4 INCH…
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THE CAR HAD BEEN PRE-INSPECTED FOR LEASE-TURN-IN IN JAN 1999, AND THEN REMAINED PARKED UNTIL FEB 8, 1999. AT THE TIME OF THE INSPECTION THERE WAS NO VISIBLE DAMAGE TO THE WINDSHIELD. ON FEB 8, 1999, THERE WAS A LARGE CRACK IN THE WINDSHIELD, ORIGINATING FROM THE TOP CENTER OF THE WINDSHIELD, DOWN 4 INCHES AND TRAILING OFF 4 INCHES TO THE LEFT. THE WINDSHIELD WAS INSPECTED AT THE TIME OF REPLACEMENT, AND NO CHIP MARKS OR TRAUMA TO THE GLASS WAS FOUND. GLASS INSTALLER STATED THAT THE CRACK WAS A STRESS FAILURE. WHILE DRIVING AT NIGHT BOTH HEADLIGHTS WENT OFF AT 55 MPH. AFTER STOPPING, SHUTTING OFF THE CAR AND RESTARTING, THEY CAME BACK ON. ALSO, THE PASSENGER SIDE HEADLIGHT BECOME DISCONNECTED ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS. *AK
WINDSHIELD DISTORTED.
DRIVER'S SIDE WINDOW MOTOR FAILED.
LEFT POWER WINDOW FAILED. *YC
Official recalls
398V028000 · Exterior Lighting:headlights
Feb 10, 1998
VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PASSENGER VEHICLES. THE TEXT AND/OR GRAPHICS FOR THE VEHICLE HEADLAMP AIMING INSTRUCTIONS PROVIDED IN THE OWNER GUIDES ARE NOT SUFFICIENTLY CLEAR. THIS DOES NOT MEET THE REQUIREMENTS OF FMVSS NO. 108, "LAMPS, REFLECTIVE DEVICES, AND ASSOCIATED EQUIPMENT."
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: IF THE HEADLAMP ASSEMBLIES ARE REPLACED, CUSTOMERS MAY BE CONFUSED BY THE AIMING INSTRUCTIONS PROVIDED IN THE OWNER GUIDES CAUSING THE HEADLAMPS TO BE IMPROPERLY AIMED.
Remedy: OWNER GUIDES CONTAINING REVISED AIMING INSTRUCTIONS WILL BE MAILED TO OWNERS OF THESE VEHICLES.
97V097000 · Power Train:automatic Transmission
Jun 9, 1997
VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PASSENGER VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH AX4S AUTOMATIC TRANSAXLES. THE LOW/INTERMEDIATE SERVO COVER CAN SEPARATE FROM THE TRANSAXLE WHILE THE VEHICLE IS BEING DRIVEN. IF THIS OCCURS, TRANSMISSION FLUID WILL LEAK CONTACTING THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER TEMPERATURE MAY BE HOT ENOUGH TO IGNITE THE TRANSMISSION FLUID AND CAUSE A VEHICLE FIRE.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSPECT THE TRANSMISSION AND REPLACE THESE SERVO COVERS.
96V166000 · Power Train:automatic Transmission:gear Position Indication (prndl)
Sep 5, 1996
THE PARK PAWL ABUTMENT BRACKET HAS A SHARP EDGE WHICH CAN CAUSE THE PARKING PAWL TO HANG UP AND NOT ENGAGE THE PARK GEAR. THIS WOULD ALLOW THE VEHICLE TO MOVE EVEN THOUGH THE GEAR SHIFT INDICATOR SHOWS THAT THE VEHICLE IS IN PARK.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: UNINTENDED AND UNEXPECTED VEHICLE MOVEMENT CAN RESULT IN PERSONAL INJURY AND PROPERTY DAMAGE.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSPECT AND, IF NECESSARY, REPLACE THE PARK PAWL ABUTMENT BRACKET.
Model-level recall history does not show whether a particular VIN is affected or has received a repair. Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗
NHTSA investigations
0No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.